LG Electronics today introduced the world's smallest wireless charger at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. At only 6.9cm in diameter, the WCP-300 is designed with portability in mind.

Despite its small size, the charging area is 1.7 times wider than that of LG's previous generation wireless charger.The new model is compatible with a standard 5-pin micro-USB charger.

The device employs electromagnetic induction technology and is Qi certified by the Wireless Power Consortium. Electromagnetic induction produces a magnetic field that in turn generates an electric current to charge the batteries in devices placed on the charging pad. Certification ensures that the WCP-300 is compatible with all smartphones that support the Qi standard.

In the US market, both the LG Spectrum 2 and Nexus 4 feature built-in support for wireless charging right out of the box, eliminating the need to purchase separate covers. LG believes that built-in support for upcoming smartphones will be the most critical development in making wireless charging the industry standard going forward.

In related news, LG's Vu II smartphone is about to receive an Android "Jelly Bean" software upgrade in March. The 5-inch smartphone is currently sold in S. Korea and LG's partners SKT, KT and LGUplus will be offering the update to Korean users in March 26.